POSITION DETAILS
Position ID(s): 4402
Position Title: Ecology Assistant - AmeriCorps
Conservation Legacy Program: Scientists in Parks, Stewards Individual Placements
Site Location: Inventory and Monitoring Division, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science, Rocky Mountain National Park, Fort Collins, Colorado
Number of positions available: 1
TERMS OF SERVICE
Duration: 52 Weeks (not flexible)
Flexible Start Date: Yes
Start Date: 5/4/2026
End Date: 5/3/2027
AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 1700 hours - this is the minimum number of hours the selected candidate must serve throughout the duration of their position.
BENEFITS
- Segal AmeriCorps Education Award: $ 7,395.00 upon successful completion of position
- Weekly Living Allowance: $ 700.00 per week, fixed rate
- Relocation Allowance: $ 450.00 (distributed as a one-time lump sum with first paycheck)
- Student Loan Forbearance if applicable (administered by MyAmeriCorps, directly)
- Student Loan Interest Payments if applicable (administered through MyAmeriCorps, directly)
- For 52-week positions only:
- Free Healthcare Coverage (opt in)
- Childcare Coverage (opt in)
APPLICATION TIMELINE
Preference given to applicants who submit applications before Sunday, February 15, 2026. Applications will be reviewed after the application deadline passes. Positions will close after receiving 60 complete applications, or at 11:59 p.m. EST on February 15, 2026, whichever occurs first.
KEYWORDS: Pollinators, Botany, Natural Resource Inventory, Rocky Mountain National Park
PURPOSE
This Ecology Assistant is an AmeriCorps position. The Pollinator Ecology Assistant will be implementing natural resource protocols to collect data on pollinator occurrence, relative abundance, and wide variety of (including species of conservation concern such as the Western bumble bee and monarch butterfly), and documenting plant-pollinator interactions to help parks make management decisions to support pollinators. This position will assist the Inventory and Assessment Program (I&A) to meet park natural resource management needs in inventory and monitoring, increase collaboration with partners at Colorado State University, support science communication about I&A natural resource work, and provide support for additional I&A natural resource inventory and database work.
DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES
The Pollinator Ecology Assistant’s primary responsibilities will be collecting bumble bee, monarch, and vegetation data to support a pollinator inventory at Rocky Mountain National Park (30%), entering and analyzing the data (10%), creating science communication products for the Inventory and Assessment Program (15%), assisting with NPS pollinator database and data visualization projects (30%), and other tasks as assigned (15%). They will collect data on pollinator species presence, abundance, wide variety of, and plant-pollinator interactions in collaboration with the NPS Inventory and Monitoring Division and Colorado State University. The participant will complete training in species occurrence, field protocols, bumble bee and monarch identification, and field safety. They will sample bumble bees and butterflies using non-lethal methods, document bee and butterfly floral associations, take photographs of pollinators for the NPS photo gallery, enter and clean data, perform data analysis, and compile results. They will complete independent research on competition between monarch and milkweed tussock moth caterpillars at Rocky Mountain NP. The participant will also assist with ongoing NPS pollinator database projects, which may include compiling and organizing datasets, developing R code to improve database function, and helping generate new ways to visualize NPS pollinator data. The participant must be able to projects in outdoor settings, including hiking up to 4-5 miles per day in sunny conditions at elevations up to 12,000 ft. The project schedule will typically be M-F from 8:30am – 5pm but may vary during field season.
The participant will produce a report and/or other written materials (e.g. detailed protocols, assisting with writing journal articles), a conference presentation (oral or poster), and other science communication items (e.g. web articles, social media posts, videos, etc.) as a product of their service opportunity. The Pollinator Ecology Assistant will be expected to present about their project at the Entomological Society of America Meeting in November 2026 in Columbus, Ohio.
DELIVERABLES
The Pollinator Ecology Assistant participant will be required to collect data on pollinators and plant-pollinator interactions, complete an independent research project, upload observations to Bumble Bee Watch, enter and analyze data, photograph pollinators using macrophotography, complete an in-depth writing project, and assist the Pollinator Project Manager with report writing. They will present their projects at a professional entomology conference. The participant will be encouraged to create web articles, a Park Science article, social media posts, interpretive programming or materials, or other science communication deliverables as part of their requirements.
QUALIFICATIONS
- United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien.
- Has received a high school diploma or equivalency certificate; or has not dropped out of secondary school to enroll as an AmeriCorps participant and agrees to obtain a high school diploma or its equivalent prior to using the education award
- Prior to starting the position, agrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete a National Service Criminal History Check for the employer of record, Conservation Legacy, and a separate government security background check for the host site.
- The applicant must be available to participate for the entire 52 Weeks in order to be considered and participate.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
This position is ideally suited for a recent college graduate with an undergraduate or graduate degree in ecology, entomology, biology, zoology, botany, natural resource management, computer science, or related fields with coursework in statistics, computer programming/coding, entomology, and/or plant identification. Other levels of education will be considered. Required qualifications include the ability to contribute to a team, collaborate to solve problems, projects independently with minimal supervision, collect data following protocols, analyze and translate scientific information, pay attention to detail, and projects in a rugged field setting. Experience working outside during the summer months is a must. Preferred qualifications include experience in bumble bee identification (especially Colorado species), native plant identification, monarch surveys, statistical analysis, data management and visualization, Microsoft software products, and/or proficiency in R. The selected candidate must be available for fieldwork at Rocky Mountain National Park from their anticipated start date through September 30, 2026. After September 30, they must move within commuting distance of the NPS Inventory and Monitoring Division office in Fort Collins, Colorado, for the remainder of the position. Must be available November 8-11, 2026, for an entomology meeting. A valid driver's license is required.
ADDITIONAL POSITION AND COMMUNITY INFORMATION
POSITION SETTING
The Pollinator Ecology Assistant will assist with the Inventory and Monitoring Division (IMD) projects within the Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Directorate (NRSS) of the National Park Service (NPS). The position will be based primarily at the NPS Inventory and Monitoring Division office based in Fort Collins, Colorado. The position will include a combination of fieldwork and office projects on a laptop. Fieldwork will be primarily conducted at Rocky Mountain National Park along park roads and in meadows along an elevational gradient up to 12,000 ft. Hiking up to 1 mile or more to access field sites may be required, including at high elevations. Summer temperatures typically range between 65-75 F and rarely exceed 85 F. Weather in the park is typically sunny with occasional rain showers. There may be opportunities to assist with fieldwork on other pollinator inventory projects at NPS sites. The participant will be provided with office space for computer projects in Fort Collins, which will be shared with other NPS staff. A government vehicle will typically be used for travel to field sites; however, it is not guaranteed that it will always be available, so a personal vehicle is required for this position (mileage reimbursed for project travel).
Fort Collins is nestled along the front range of the Rocky Mountains, located approximately 90 minutes from the Denver airport. Fort Collins is home to Colorado State University, as well as offices for several state and federal government agencies. There are several grocery stores and multiple medical clinics and hospitals in town. Fort Collins is very bike-friendly, though a car is recommended for trips to the grocery store and other errands as public transportation is limited. There are mountain hiking trails within a 30-minute drive and Rocky Mountain National Park (ROMO) is approximately 90 minutes’ drive from town. Estes Park is the town located closest to the Beaver Meadows entrance to ROMO.
VEHICLE AND DRIVERS LICENSE REQUIREMENTS
- Applicant must have a valid driver's license to drive a government vehicle.
- A personal vehicle is REQUIRED for this position.
HOUSING
Park housing is NOT available. The selected candidate will be responsible for finding housing in the nearby area.
Park housing may be available at Rocky Mountain National Park (ROMO) during the field season from May to Sept 2026. The SIP participants will be responsible for finding housing in Fort Collins for the remainder of the position (Oct 2026 to April 2027). There may be opportunities to find shared housing with other Scientist in Parks or Colorado State University students to share the cost of housing. Rent in Fort Collins can range from $800-$1500/month depending on location, unit size, willingness to have a roommate, etc.
OUR COMMITMENT
Conservation Legacy is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals and will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to perform essential functions. Some positions may require periodic overnight travel, non-traditional hours, ability to move across varied terrain, use program-specific tools and a range of technology on an infrequent or frequent basis. Exerting up to 25 pounds of force occasionally to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects. Ability to safely drive an organizational vehicle may also be required for some positions.
TIME REQUIREMENTS
- This position is expected to serve full time each week, but exact service schedules may vary based on project needs. Lunch breaks and days off will not be counted towards AmeriCorps service hours.
- Member may be required to participate in national, state, or local service projects or events as part of their service term.
ORIENTATION AND TRAINING
- Member will receive pertinent project and site training from host site throughout term
- Member will receive an orientation that includes training on AmeriCorps prohibited and unallowable activities.
- Access to free professional development webinars led by Conservation Legacy staff
EVALUATION AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
As an AmeriCorps member, performance will be evaluated on whether the member has completed the required number of minimum AmeriCorps hours, the member has satisfactorily completed assignments, and if the member has met other performance criteria that were clearly communicated at the beginning of the term of service.
Reporting requirements include, but are not limited to, bi-weekly timesheets and accomplishment tracking.
HOW TO APPLY
Apply online, all Scientists in Parks positions are listed at: https://conservation-legacy.breezy.hr/. Complete the application for this position, highlighting why you are interested in the position and how your background and experience will help you succeed in this position. Be prepared to upload your resume and unofficial transcript as part of completing the application questionnaire.
Once you begin applying for a position, the application must be completed in one sitting. You cannot save and return later to complete it. Applicants can apply for up to five Scientists in Parks positions per season. You need to complete a separate application for each position in order to be considered. You should receive a confirmation email after successfully submitting an application. Sometimes institutional email filters/settings can redirect, or block emails related to the application. We recommend watching spam, junk, and promotional email folders in case your service delivers messages there. Please visit How to Apply for additional resources and information about applying (i.e., learn what materials to have ready for applying, find a worksheet that previews application questions, etc.). Learn more about Scientists in Parks at: https://www.scientistsinparks.org/.
Stewards Individual Placements (Stewards), a program of Conservation Legacy, provides individuals with AmeriCorps service and career opportunities to strengthen communities and preserve our natural resources. Participants serve with federal agencies, tribal governments, and nonprofits to provide institutional capacity, develop community relationships, and support ecosystem health. Stewards in partnership with the Scientists in Parks program will host the Ecology Assistant at Inventory and Monitoring Division, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science, Rocky Mountain National Park.
Conservation Legacy is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you need assistance and/or reasonable accommodations due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to Scientists in Parks using the email address at the base of the home page, under “Questions? Contact Us!”
